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How can I more easily switch between buffers in Emacs?
GNU Emacs 24.1.1
Hello,
When I want to switch buffers I use the following C-x C-b if I have many buffers active. But I find it very inefficient.
And it will display a lists of open buffers in the next buffer (I don't like this in the next buffer). Normally I have 4 buffers open at the same time.
Using the above I will then have to put the cursor (C-o) to get focus in the buffer-list buffer, when scroll up or down to select the buffer I want.
Sometimes I use C-x-b if I don't have many active buffers. However, I always have many.
However, I am looking for something then will open up a small buffer with a list of buffers (the minimum needed - just enough to show all buffers), and will automatically have focus. I scroll to select the buffer I want. And it will appear in the buffer I had focus on before I open the list of buffers. The buffer-list will then disappear.
Does anyone know of anything like this to make switching buffers easier.
Many thanks for any advice,
Apart from ido-mode, good buffer switching solutions are:
Plain-old C-x b + icomplete-mode
ibuffer - just rebind C-x C-b to ibuffer to see it in action:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'ibuffer)
Helm - an incremental narrowing and selection framework useful to find just about anything (buffers included).
Check ido-mode. C-x C-b is the old way.
The ido lets you interactively do things with buffers and files.
Related
With C-x C-b the buffer list is displayed. First in it's natural order with most recently used buffers on top, and buried buffers at the bottom.
There, I can now sort the Buffer by name, size, mode and file. But once I click on such an option I cannot go back to the original ordering.
Also killing the buffer and recreating it does not change that order. (Using 25.2)
So how can I get that ordering back without restarting emacs?
There is another mode that's nowadays built-in to Emacs that can be used to display the buffer list: ibuffer-mode.
If you are not using it already, you can experiment with M-x ibuffer and find out its capabilities with C-h m. Note that in particular, it can sort the buffer list in various ways, one of which is by recency with s v, which is what the OP asked for; but note also that it has many other ways to sort that make it very flexible.
Once you are convinced that that's the way to go, you can redefine the C-x C-b keybinding in your init file with:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'ibuffer)
I did that a long time ago and have never looked back. IMO, it should be the default: that may come to pass, but AFAIK that is still not the case.
Sorting order goes away as expected when I kill buffer named *Buffer List* and reopen using C-x C-b (Using emacs 27.1 & 28.1). From the EmacsWiki
Once sorted, there is no nice way to restore the default MRU sort. You
have to ‘kill-buffer’ the buffer menu buffer, and then re-open it.
(Sorting sets the variable ‘tabulated-list-sort-key’ in
tabulated-list.el. Its default is ‘nil’. No way to restore the nil
value is provided.)
May be worth adding a custom function which can disable the sort without closing the buffer.
(defun disable-buffer-sort()
(interactive)
(save-excursion
(set-buffer (get-buffer "*Buffer List*"))
(setq tabulated-list-sort-key 'nil)
(revert-buffer)
))
(disable-buffer-sort)
As #NickD mentioned in other answer ibuffer-mode is also a good alternative with more features.
I have been looking into packages that would enable me to have tabs in my emacs editor. Would like to open multiple files in a single emacs window. Any help/link would be appreciated
Emacs has this functionality built in. They are called buffers C-x C-f opens a new file of a name you provide. C-x b lets you change between buffers. C-x C-b lists all open buffers. C-x k closes the current buffer.
If you want multiple buffers in one window then C-x 2 splits the windows horizontally. C-x 3 will split it vertically. C-x 1 will close all the windows that are not the current one. C-x o cycles between open panes. &c.
GNU the organization that manages the code base for GNU Emacs has a wonderful tutorial
Note: the the above segment C- means while holding the <CTRL> key
post script: the ido library makes working with emacs in generally much easier.
You can already open multiple files in buffers. However, if you want a visual guide, then this is what you might want: http://emacswiki.org/emacs/TabBarMode
Caveat emptor: You might have to configure it a bit.
or you can use elscreen
and use Gnu/Linux too, so i remap the Winkey to manage my tabs.
emacs doesn't contain "tabs" like an internet browser its best to understand the concept of buffers like the others have said but if you want to have a tab bar at the top anyway just to give a quick reminder of what buffers are open I suggest looking at the TabBarMode in the emacs wiki.
When using buffers i like to use m-x ibuffer since you can filter out which buffers your interested in. say you only want to see the buffers which are associated with files in a /home/flood/coding/epicgame/ directory, i simple go to ibuffer, type / f then type epicgame and a filter will be applied, then to remove the filter simply press / twice and remember that C-h m is your friend.
This technique has helped me alot, you can even OR filters together and merge them into groups. I love emacs XD
I've recently started using emacs and I'm enjoying using it for the most part. The only thing I'm not enjoying, is switching between buffers. I often have a few buffers open and I've grown tired of using C-x b and C-x C-b, are there any packages that make switching between buffers easier? I've looked into emacs wiki on switching buffers and I'd appreciate insight/feedback on what are are using/enjoying. Thanks.
UPDATE: iswitchb-mode is obsolete in Emacs >= 24.4, replaced by ido.
All of the features of iswitchdb are now provided by ido. Ross provided a link to the documentation in his answer. You can activate with the following in your .emacs (or use the customization interface as Ross suggests):
(require 'ido)
(ido-mode 'buffers) ;; only use this line to turn off ido for file names!
(setq ido-ignore-buffers '("^ " "*Completions*" "*Shell Command Output*"
"*Messages*" "Async Shell Command"))
By default, ido provides completions for buffer names and file names. If you only want to replace the features of iswitchb, the second line turns off this feature for file names. ido will ignore any buffers that match the regexps listed in ido-ignore-buffers.
The behaviour described below for iswitchb-mode applies equally to ido for switching buffers.
iswitchb-mode (Emacs < 24.4)
iswitchb-mode replaces the default C-x b behaviour with a very intuitive buffer-switching-with-completion system. There are more sophisticated options, but I've never needed more than this.
After you hit C-x b, you are presented with a list of all buffers. Start typing the name of the buffer you want (or part of its name), and the list is narrowed until only one buffer matches. You don't need to complete the name, though, as soon as the buffer you want is highlighted hitting enter will move you to it. You can also use C-s and C-r to move through the list in order.
You can turn it on by default with this in your .emacs:
(iswitchb-mode 1)
You can also tell it to ignore certain buffers that you never (or very rarely) need to switch to:
(setq iswitchb-buffer-ignore '("^ " "*Completions*" "*Shell Command Output*"
"*Messages*" "Async Shell Command"))
You can use C-x <right> (next-buffer) and C-x <left> (previous-buffer) to cycle around in the buffer ring. You could bind S-<right> and S-<left> to these functions. (S is the "super-key" or windows-key). This way you can save some keystrokes.
Moreover, note that C-x b has a default entry, i.e. it displays a standard value (most of the time this is the previously viewed buffer), so that you don't always need to enter the buffer name explicitly.
Another nice trick is to open separate windows using C-x 2 and C-x 3. This displays several buffers simultaneously. Then you can bind C-<tab> to other-window and get something similar to tabbed browsing.
M-x customize-group ido then set Ido Mode to Turn on both buffer and file and set Ido Everywhere to on. Then click the Save for future sessions button at the top and enjoy ido magic for both files and buffers. Read the docs to get a sense of how to use ido.
Also, take a look at smex.
ido-mode provides an efficient way to switch buffers.
ibuffer is best for managing all opened buffers.
anything is good for selecting an interested thing from different
sources. (for eg: a single key can be used to switch to another
buffer or to open recently closed file or to open a file residing
in the same directory or ... anything you want ... )
If you've looked at the Emacs Wiki, you probably have all this information already, but here are a few other relevant Q&As:
Emacs: help me understand file/buffer management
Buffer switching in Emacs
How to invoke the buffer list in Emacs
My toolkit consists of ibuffer, windmove+framemove, winner-mode, and a custom binding to make C-xleft/right and C-cleft/right less of a hassle to use.
I have mapped the "§"-key to 'buffer-list and I find it to be very efficient.
I've started using anything for a couple of days and I'm really liking it: http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Anything .
Emacs-fu has an good intro to anything: http://emacs-fu.blogspot.com/2011/09/finding-just-about-anything.html
My favourite function for this is helm-mini which is part of helm.
As other helm functions, it allows incremental narrowing of the selection. It also searches your recently visited buffers, which is a really nice way to re-open a buffer. Helm can be a little surprising at first and as a new Emacs user, I found it visually overwhelming and I preferred ido or ibuffer which have been suggested in other replies. But now I absolutely love it and use it all the time for countless things.
Something that I realized by accident and that can be useful:
mouse-buffer-menu is by default bound to <C-mouse-1> (Control key + mouse left click) and opens a popup with a list of the current buffers.
How can I modify the way emacs picks which buffer to show after closing a buffer?
When I have multiple columns showing the same buffer, and then open another file in one of the buffers and then close the newly opened buffer, it doesn't switch back to the previous buffer, but to another buffer.
I'll try to explain with an example:
Start with a new emacs at *scratch*
C-x 2 (split into two columns)
C-x C-f 1 (find file 1)
C-x o (switch to other frame)
C-x b 1 (find file 1)
C-x C-f 2 (find file 2)
C-x k (kill buffer)
Now it switches to scratch but I would like it to show 1 in both windows again, is it possible to make emacs behave this way?
This may not be a direct answer to your question, but it might help.
Emacs manages its buffer list, including deciding which buffer gets displayed when you kill one (via kill-buffer). I haven't looked into how it's done, but the documentation is "out there". Lots of people have created custom buffer-stack management magic to change the way emacs does things, maybe some of them are based on bayesian analysis, or whatever. You can imagine the possibilities.
I've never looked into changing the way emacs manages its buffers. Instead I just bind other-window and switch-to-buffer to easy keystrokes (C-x o, C-x b) and I get really good at using them.
you could create a simple function for what you want: it should destroys all other windows, then split the window so that the current buffer is displayed in both. Luckily, emacs has functions that do exactly those things.
(defun cheeso-show-buffer-two-windows ()
"Close all other windows; then split, and show the current
buffer in both windows."
(interactive)
(delete-other-windows)
(split-window-vertically))
Bind that to a keystroke, and badda-bing, you're there. This is a vertical split - the windows are displayed in a vertical stack. If you want it horizontally split (the windows are side-by-side), then replace ... well, you know.
This also doesn't quite help directly, but Winner mode might help you get where you want to get.
Are you using tabbar-mode? I had the same problem and for me tabbar was the cause. Tabbar adds the function tabbar-buffer-kill-buffer-hook to kill-buffer-hook. You can remove it with (remove-hook 'kill-buffer-hook 'tabbar-buffer-kill-buffer-hook).
If you don't use tabbar try M-x describe-variable kill-buffer-hook. One of the functions in this list should be responsible for messing with your buffers.
In GNU emacs, every time I hit Ctrl-x Ctrl-b to see all of my buffers, the window is split to show the buffer list, or if I have my window already split in 2 (for instance, I will have a shell running in the lower window), the buffer list appears in the other window.
My desired behavior is for the buffer list to appear in my active window so that I can select the buffer I want and continue to working in the same window, rather than having to Ctrl-x Ctrl-o to the other buffer, selecting the buffer (with enter) and editing that buffer in the other window... I've googled for it but it doesn't seem to be a common desire? I wonder if anyone has an elispy (or other) solution?
You might want to rebind C-x C-b to invoke buffer-menu rather than list-buffers:
(global-set-key "\C-x\C-b" 'buffer-menu)
Just customize the variable same-window-regexps. display-buffer will display any buffer whose name matches a regexp there in the currently-selected window.
(You will want to add "[*]Buffer List".)
not exactly a solution, but ido-mode provides a different and powerful way to interact with buffers. C-x b will then show a list of all the open buffers, and the one you select will open in the current window.
Strangely, there isn't an answer here about ibuffer.
I would recommend this as a standard change for the majority of Emacs users:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'ibuffer)
ibuffer is a very advanced replacement for the default buffer listing, and not only features the exact behaviour requested, but provides a wealth of other functionality.
I listed a few ibuffer filtering and grouping basics in
Emacs: help me understand file/buffer management, but be sure to read the documentation for details.
Try to add
(ido-mode 1)
to your .emacs, and enjoy the result :)
If you like the original buffer list (as opposed to the 'buffer-menu solution proposed by others), you can use this:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'my-list-buffers)
(defun my-list-buffers (&optional files-only)
"Display a list of names of existing buffers.
The list is displayed in a buffer named `*Buffer List*'.
Note that buffers with names starting with spaces are omitted.
Non-null optional arg FILES-ONLY means mention only file buffers.
For more information, see the function `buffer-menu'."
(interactive "P")
(switch-to-buffer (list-buffers-noselect files-only)))
Which is the same function as before, only in the current window.
I highly recommend bs.el from http://www.geekware.de/software/emacs/ Install it and:
(require 'bs)
(add-hook 'bs-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)
(global-set-key "\C-x\C-b" 'bs-show)
It manages buffers and window configuration in the right way, so everything requires minimum number of keystrokes.
Not sure where I got this but:
;;; Faster buffer switching
(global-set-key [(C tab)] 'buffer-menu)
This makes Ctrl-Tab display all buffers in the current window. You can then navigate to a buffer and hit Enter to visit it.
Another not-what-you-asked-for solution: don't select the desired buffer with the mouse, rather finish typing its name (use tab-completion to reduce keystrokes and increase accuracy), then hit return. The buffer list will disappear, and the new file will be open in the previously active window.